A closer look at mayoral money

Friday

For mayoral candidates across Massachusetts, it was largely a case of you-spend, you-win.

In nearly every city statewide, mayoral campaigns that outraised and outspent their rivals found success on Election Day.

Statewide, winning mayoral candidates raised a combined total of more than $3.1 million in campaign donations, more than three-and-a-half times more than the opponents they defeated on Nov. 7.

Because the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance has different filing requirements for larger and smaller cities, financial data for candidates in cities with populations of less than 75,000 does not include donations and expenditures made after Oct. 20. For candidates in larger cities, the financial data is current as of Oct. 31. Campaign finance data covering the rest of the election cycle will be available when candidates file their end-of-year reports in January.

Several trends emerge from the preliminary campaign finance reports.

Money matters: If the recent success of well-funded campaigns is any indication, campaign fundraising is a major factor in municipal races. In 23 cities with competitive mayoral races, the candidate whose campaign spent the most won 21 times, according to preliminary data from the OCPF.

Exceptions to the rule: Yvonne Spicer of Framingham and Paul Heroux of Attleboro bucked the trend and beat candidates who outspent them. As of the Oct. 20 campaign finance reports, Spicer’s campaign spent $56,472 to rival candidate John Stefanini’s $84,769. In Attleboro, incumbent Kevin Dumas outspent Heroux $53,187 to $12,332 as of Oct. 20. A clearer picture will emerge when the candidates file year-end reports in January, but in some cases, money apparently isn’t everything.

Big spenders: In Boston, incumbent Mayor Martin Walsh spent more than any other mayoral candidate in the state this year as he cruised to re-election. Walsh spent more than $1.6 million in his win over challenger Tito Jackson, whose campaign spent $295,699, the second-most statewide. Newton victor Ruthanne Fuller ($259,355), Somerville winner Joe Curtatone ($230,160) and Newton runner-up Scott Lennon ($199,276), round out the top five in terms campaign spending.

What they spend on: Having more expenses is often part of running a large, well-organized campaign. Campaign staff salaries, political consultant fees and advertising often represent major expenses. The cost of printing and mailing campaign literature can also be significant. When candidates rent office space to serve as campaign headquarters, they also have to typically pay for phone service, internet and other utilities. Campaigns also commonly spend money to book venues and food for events.

No record: The combined $1.9 million in spending from the Walsh and Jackson campaigns through October doesn’t approach the levels seen in 2013. Four years ago, Walsh and former Boston City Councilor John Connolly spent a combined $6 million, more than any other mayoral race in Massachusetts history.